Bell Pottinger: pressure on David Cameron to curb secret links with lobbyists

David Cameron is under growing pressure to introduce a register of lobbyists
after claims that staff at Bell Pottinger Public Affairs have been able to
influence him and other members of his inner circle.

Executives from the prominent public affairs firm were secretly taped claiming to be able to directly influence the Prime Minister and other senior Government figures on behalf of private sector clients, including vacuum cleaner maker James Dyson.

Last night the Government was bracing itself for more claims relating to further links between staff from Bell Pottinger and other ministers. Labour also called for the Cabinet secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell to investigate.

A presentation prepared by Bell Pottinger suggested the firm could get access to Foreign secretary William Hague, one of his advisers, and Alistair Burt, a foreign office minister, and would target as “a priority” Mark Prisk, a Business minister.

The scandal involving Bell Pottinger is the latest in a series that has embarrassed the the Coalition, most notably one involving the access enjoyed by Adam Werritty to the former defence secretary Liam Fox.

The Alliance for Lobbying Transparency, a campaign group, last night called for the immediate introduction of a statutory register of lobbyists, to open up the industry to wider public scrutiny.

Tamasin Cave, a spokesman for the alliance, said: “Another month, another lobbying scandal involving this Government. The last led to the resignation of the Defence Secretary. This one leads straight to the Prime Minister.

“Just last year, David Cameron was warning us of a £2billion influence industry ‘out of control’. The situation under his leadership is undoubtedly worse.” That came as a survey of MPs showed a majority in favour of a statutory register.

Of 115 MPs questioned by Populus over the past four weeks, 62 per cent agreed that a statutory register would help the democratic process, compared with 13 per cent who said it would not.

But just 12 per cent said that public relations professionals were a “hindrance” to their work as MPs, compared with 57 per cent who said they were not. Forty-one of the MPs questioned said that occasions when they socialised with lobbyists were “an important part of an MP’s week”, against 33 who disagreed.

Mr Collins also reportedly claimed that Bell Pottinger had got Mr Cameron to raise the matter of copyright infringement with Chinese premier Wen Jiabao on behalf of electronics entrepreneur James Dyson.

Shadow Cabinet Office minister Jon Trickett increased the pressure on Mr Cameron by sending a series of questions to the Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O’Donnell, including whether Mr Cameron by any member of his staff to enquire about Bell Pottinger’s client with the Chinese.

Cabinet Office sources said that plans for a register could be published as soon as next month.

They were being held up by concerns about the definition of a lobbyist, including whether it included charities, and whether a register might prevent people from their democratic right to make representations to Government.

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: “The Government has repeatedly emphasised the commitment made in the coalition agreement to bring greater transparency to lobbying by establishing a statutory register. We plan to bring forward proposals in the coming weeks.”

However last night Lord Bell, the chairman of Chime Communications which owns Bell Pottinger, said that a statutory register would not do any good, adding that there was nothing in the claims that demonstrated “any improper behaviour”.

He told The Daily Telegraph that a register “patently” would not work, adding: “If you are trying to find misbehaviour – it occurs no matter what the rules are.

“If Number 10 say they weren’t influenced [over Dyson] then they weren’t influenced. If we think they were influenced, we are entitled to that view. I am a great supporter of the freedom of the press and a great believer in self-regulation. This story does nothing to enhance either argument.”

Mr Cameron’s spokesman said companies would do better to go through the official channels to speak to ministers and civil servants about their concerns.

He said: “It simply isn't true to say that Bell Pottinger or any other lobbying company has influenced Government policy. Clearly it is in their interests to tell their clients that they can provide them with a service and that is what they appear to be doing.

“The fact that the PM has spoken to the Chinese about the issue of intellectual property rights is unsurprising. He’s made very clear his support for British business and his desire to work to further our trade relationships.”

A Department for Business spokesman said: "Mark Prisk has had no dealings with Tim Collins since being appointed as a Minister. In line with the Government's transparency policy, all meetings that BIS ministers have are published on a monthly basis on our website."

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "Neither William Hague or Alistair Burt have had any meetings with Bell Pottinger in Government. To say that Bell Pottinger or indeed any other lobbying company has influenced government policy is simply untrue."